About Me

My Circuitous Path

Psychotherapy is my second career.  Before my Master’s in Social Work at Smith College School for Social Work, I completed my JD at Harvard Law School.  I practiced for five years at law firms as a corporate transactional attorney, doing legal work for business deals.

I fell into a legal career by accident. I studied psychology in college.  When I graduated, I still felt very young and naive.  I thought about pursuing a graduate degree in psychology, but I didn't feel I had much to offer as a psychotherapist because who was going to take life advice from a 22-year-old? 

I panicked.  I applied to a heap of jobs I was not suited for.  I ended up applying to law school as a (very privileged) way to stall "becoming an adult." 

I realized pretty quickly into my legal career that I didn't have much interest in the business world.  I spent several years exploring other areas of law, before realizing that the part of my work that most spoke to me - primarily my free legal aid work - was compelling because of the clients' emotional, psychological, and life challenges, rather than their legal challenges.  After a great deal of soul searching, I chose to return to my psychology roots and pursue a career in psychotherapy.

I have never regretted it for one moment.

My Approach

As I said, I fell into law by accident.  While I didn't set out as a child to become a lawyer, I also didn't accidentally fall into physics or metallurgy or horse training.  Some things about law spoke to me, including its "left brain" intellectual argumentation and precision drafting.  This side of my personality informs my work as a therapist, giving me a more balanced approach to psychotherapy that is practical, assertive, and hands on. 

My Commitment to Social Work

As clinical social workers, we're encouraged to have both a micropractice and a macropractice.

Micropractice: our day-to-day work, often one-on-one, with clients

Macropractice: broader work towards community / systemic change and social justice 

Before becoming a social worker, I began volunteering with the Mental Health Association of San Francisco, and eventually sat on its board from 2010-16, finally ascending to board Vice President. 

I also actively work to be anti-racist, anti-sexist, anti-homophobic, and -transphobic in my micropractice and personal life.  As with the goals I strive towards in my micropractice, I often get it wrong; but, I'm not going to stop trying.